The First Invasion: The Demons are Coming!

Revelation 9:1-12

SUBJECT: TRUMPET JUDGMENTS

THEME: The Fifth Trumpet Sounds Bringing a Demonic Invasion on the Earth.

INTRODUCTION:                                       

Though much can be learned from this passage, the things that I find most striking are the awesome abilities of our great God to wield extraordinarily sovereign power over the most powerful and wicked creatures and use them to achieve his purposes. He is in complete control! Almighty God does confront and punish sin; He will not be patient with iniquity forever.  Because of this we see the demons are coming like a massive army of men overrunning a nation.  These developments will prepare people to accept the rather worldwide influence of the Antichrist.

LESSION:

The Fifth Trumpet Sounds, Resulting in the First Demonic Invasion (Rev. 9:1-12)

During the Fifth Trumpet, the demon locusts ascend from the bottomless pit screaming forth from the darkness and smoke to multiply suffering among the unrepentant of the world. This all begins with the blast of the fifth trumpet and a falling star upon the earth.  This fallen star unlocks the "bottomless pit," of the abyss releasing veracious demons like locusts with an ability to sting like a scorpion. 

   A.  THE RELEASE OF THE LOCUST DEMONS (Rev 9:1-2):

Their abode is the smoke-filled bottomless pit.

        1.  A Fallen Star.  Vs. 1

           A.  He is a Person.  “him” 

                 1.  This fallen star is a person, the king over the beings in the pit (Rev 9:11).

                 2.  Not a Meteor it is unlike the other stars that will have fallen (Rev. 6:13; 8:8).

                 3.  This star will be an angelic being (Rev. 9:2; 1:20; 12:4a; Job 38:7).

                 4.  Even in modern terminology it is customary to speak of an unusual athlete or performer as a star.                 

                 5.  The “star” that fell “unto the earth” was a person rather than a fragment of a star.

           B.  He is Limited.

                 1.  Because He is Fallen. Most likely, this "star" is a fallen angel.

                 2.  Because He Was Given This Key.

He does not have complete authority, for the key to the pit had to be given to him before he could lose his army. 

                 3.  The one who gave him the key to the shaft of the Abyss, is the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:18). Most importantly, this angel is under God's control and authority.

           C.  He is Satan.

                1.  This "star" is probably Satan and the army, his demons.

Ephes. 6:11-12, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

                2.  One of the names for Satan is Lucifer, which means "brightness."

                3.  Satan is also compared to the "morning star".

Isaiah 14:12-14, How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! [13] For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: [14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

                4.  Jesus said to His disciples, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven" (Luke 10:18).

                5.  This star, probably representing Satan cast out of heaven at the beginning of the Great Tribulation.   Rev. 12:9, And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Also Rev.12:7.

Often enough Satan comes around to cause havoc, but we need not fear him, though we should respect him.  Ephes. 6:10, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

1 Peter 5:8, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

                                                           

        2.  A Bottomless Abyss.  Vs. 1-2

The demonic army of Satan will emerge from this chasm (Rev. 9:1-2). 

           A.  The "bottomless pit" is literally "the shaft of the abyss."

In Revelation, it is always the prison where some of the demonic hordes are incarcerated, the place of severest torment and isolation (Rev. 9:1,2,11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1,3)

           B.  Luke makes it clear that this "pit" is the abode of the demons.

Luke 8:31, And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

The “Abyss” is the home of demons (Rev. 9:11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1, 3).  

           C.  John states that Satan will be temporarily "jailed" there during our Lord's reign on the earth (Rev 20:1-3).

           D.  The Antichrist ("the beast") will ascend out of this pit (Rev 11:7; 17:8).

           E.  The Bottomless Pit is not the Lake of Fire, for that is the final "prison" for Satan and all who follow him (Rev 20:10), but part of that hidden underworld under the Lord's authority. The "bottomless pit," mentioned twice in these verses, will appear again in Rev. 11:7; 17:8; and 20:1-3. Some believe this abode of demons is located in the heart of our planet. 

           F.  Today, the fearsome army described here is already incarcerated, waiting for the hour of liberation.

Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

2 Peter 2:4, For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Aren’t you glad to be saved and spared from this horror on the earth and all eternity also.  It’s a blessing to know that when we believer die that we will be immediately with the Lord. 

2 Cor. 5:8, We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Philip. 1:23, For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

Rev. 5:8-11, And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. [9] And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; [10] And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. [11] And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

       3.  An Opened Abyss.  Vs. 2

When the darkness was opened, smoke billows out emerging as though the door of a furnace had been swung wide open.

        

           A.  Like a Giant Fiery Furnace.

Jesus compared hell to a furnace of fire, an image that ought to make people stop and think before they joke about it.

Matthew 13:42, And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 13:50, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

          B.  More Darkness and Pollution.

The thick smoke polluted the atmosphere and darkened the light of the sun, which was already murky because of the fourth trumpet blast. This also reminds us of the plague of darkness that once overshadowed Egypt in Exodus 12:21-22.

   B.  THE WARFARE OF THE LOCUST DEMONS (Rev. 9:3-12)

But it is what came out of the smoke that truly terrorized mankind: an army of demons, compared to locusts. The eighth plague in Egypt was a devastating swarm of locusts (Ex 10:1-20). People who have never encountered these insects have little idea of the damage they can do. When God wanted to judge His people, He would sometimes send locusts to devour the harvests (Deut 28:38,42; Joel 2:1).

                                               

         1.  Their Descriptive Appearance (Rev. 9:3, 7-10 a)

Their description is designed to give the impression of horror, conquest, and fierceness!

              A.  They Look like Locusts (Rev. 9:3 a).

                    1.  These are Not Ordinary Locust.

Locust plagues are one of the severest plagues of mankind. The imagery of locusts, appearing like armies, advancing like a cloud, darkening the heavens, and sounding like the rattle of chariots, goes back to Joel's vision of the locust army that came on Israel as a judgment from God (Joel 1:6; 2:4-10). But the locusts of the Apocalypse inflict agony like scorpion stings (vv. 3, 5, 10). This, together with the fact that they do not eat grass (v. 4), shows that these locusts are something other than ordinary earthly insects. Indeed, they have the special task of inflicting a nonfatal injury only on the beast worshipers, who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads (v. 4). This may imply that these locusts like creatures are not simply instruments of a physical plague such as that in Moses' or Joel's day or under the first four trumpets but are demonic forces out of the Abyss from whom the true people of God are protected...  –The Expositor’s Bible Comm.

    

                     2.  They are Hellish in Their Very Nature!  

                     3.  In the prophetic Scriptures locust are symbols of divine judgment (Deut 28:38, 42; Nah 3:15, 17; Amos 7:1-3).     

               B.  They Were like Battle Ready Armored Horses (Rev. 9:7).

                     1.  This most likely means that they were a conquering army of demons.

                     2.   Horses are a symbol of war…even successful power in war (Zech. 6:1-8; Rev. 6:1-8; 19:11-21).

               C.  They Wore Symbolic Golden Crowns (Rev. 9:7).

                     1.  The crowns signify that they were authorized to rule in lost men’s lives.

                     2.  The crowns might reflect prior military exploits and power.

                     3.  The crowns may also imply that the locusts have high status among the demons but still rank below their king, Abaddon or Apollyon (v. 11).

               D.  They Have Faces Like Men (Rev. 9:7).

                     1.  They were creatures of great intelligence and rational capability and not merely driven by instincts (Ezek. 1:10).

                     2.  That they symbolically had human faces probably indicates that these were not mere insects but were intelligent beings. These locusts were not just out for food but were sent to make war against their own followers.

               E.  They Symbolically Had Hair like a Women. Rev 9:8

                     1.  This may mean they are attractive and/or seductive. Deception will be their MO.

                     2.  They may ensnare sinners with an innocent and harmless appearance at first.

               F.  They Had Teeth like a Lion (Rev. 9:7-8).

                     1.  This points to the fact that they will be ferocious and cruel in their attacks.

                     2.  Their destructiveness is in view; this image points to the fact that they will terrify that future society.

                     3.  They are fierce, powerful, and potentially deadly (Jer. 51:27).

                     4.  They Feast on human pain and suffering short of murder.

               G.  They Are Protected by Iron Breastplates (Rev. 9:9).

                     1.  They were difficult to attack and destroy.

                     2.  They seemed to be invulnerable, for no force availed against them.

                     3.  They are insensitive to the suffering they cause–They know no mercy.

               H.  They Have Stinging Tails like Scorpions (Rev. 9:3 b, 10 a).

                     1.  They are able to torture the victim physically and mentally.

                     2.  Their torture produces the most intolerable anguish and intense pain.

                     3.  These are not literal locusts, because locusts do not have scorpion-like stings in their tails.

Reading the detailed description of these creatures, we realize that John is not writing about ordinary locusts. Yet, despite its obvious symbolism, it aptly portrays a powerful enemy armed for battle. With bodies like horses but faces like men, the demons' heads are crowned and covered with long hair. They have teeth like those of lions, and their skin is like a coat of mail. When they fly, the noise is like an army of chariots rushing by. It is unnecessary to try to "spiritualize" these symbols, or to interpret them in light of modern means of warfare. John is heaping image upon image to force us to feel the horror of this judgment. —W. W. Wiersbe

         2.  Their Devilish Administrator (Rev. 9:11-12):

            A.  Their king is named “Abaddon” (in the Hebrew) and “Apollyon” (in the Greek), meaning "destroyer."

            B.  Real locusts do not have a king (Prov 30:27), but this army follows the rule of Satan, the angel of the bottomless pit. Though he is the direct influencer, they all are under God’s authority and plans.

            C.  His name is "Destroyer." "The thief [Satan] cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (John 10:10). Real locusts are pervasive destroyers, but this army only tortures those who do not belong to the Lord. Satan’s ultimate aims are destructive, but again the Lord limits Satan’s role.

         3.  Their Duty Assignments. (Rev. 9:4-6, 10 b)

              A.  Considered Negatively (Rev. 9:4 a):

                   1.  They Are Not to Harm the Grass or Trees.

                         A.  These are the natural foods on which they ordinarily prey. Therefore, not natural and ordinary locusts.

                         B.  Their natural instinct is supernaturally restrained to mark the judgment as altogether divine.

                         C.  These creatures do not devour the green vegetation; in fact, they are prohibited from doing so. This is unlike Rev. 8:7.

                   2.  They Are Not to Harm the Sealed Jews.  Rev. 9:4

Perhaps even everyone else on earth except the two groups mentioned in chap. 7—the 144,000 Jewish evangelists and their converts (Rev.7:3). (Rev 7:1-8).

                         A.  The seal of Jesus on the foreheads of believers represents his ownership and protecting authority.

                         B.  The word "sealed" is significant elsewhere in the New Testament. In Matt 27:65, Pilate applied his seal of authority to the tomb of Jesus, so no one could steal the body.

                         C.  In Eph 1:13, Paul used this word to describe God's mark on a person who believes in Christ -- he or she is sealed with the promised Spirit of God. Obviously, God's seal is more than a mark; it is the Holy Spirit's presence in believers.

In Rev 5, Christ alone demonstrated the power to break the seals that secure the account of the end of history. He also reminded the Asian churches (chapters 2-3) that his power to open or shut doors cannot be broken. The power to overcome and a sense of spiritual security cannot flow from our ability to believe or our success in obedience; our safety lies in the power of Jesus Christ. How much of your security have you entrusted to him?

              B.  Considered Positively (Rev. 9:4 b-6,10 b):

                    1.  They are to torture (but not kill) the unsaved for five months.  Demons do torment the unsaved person.  Mark 5:5, And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Mark 5:15, And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

This demonic army is given the assignment of tormenting all who have not been protected by the seal of God. 

Although their sting was not fatal, it inflicted torment that lasted for five months.  It was so intense that men wanted to die, but they could not.  These locusts probably represent demons which, when released from the pit, took possession of unsaved men and women.  This demon-possession cause the most intense physical suffering and mental torture, as it did with Legion in Mark 5:1-20.—W. MacDonald                

God allowed demons to torment people (Rev. 9:3-6). These demons were not created by Satan, because God is the Creator of all. Rather, they are probably fallen angels who joined Satan in his rebellion. God limits what they can do; they can do nothing without his permission. Their main purpose on earth is to prevent, distort, or destroy people's relationship with God. Whenever Jesus encountered a demon-possessed person, that person was being tortured (see, for example, Mark 9:14-29 and Luke 8:26-29). Because demons are corrupt and degenerate, their appearance reflects the distortion of their spirits. While it is important to recognize their evil activities, so we can stay away from them, we must avoid any curiosity about or involvement with demonic forces or with the occult. Attempting to confront demons should be done under the authority and protection of the church leaders.

                    2.  The normal lifespan of the locust is about five months (May to September), and this is the length of time that the judgment will last.

                    3.  These demons will sting people and thus create such pain that their victims will actually want to die, but death will flee from them.

Jeremiah 8:3, And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the Lord of hosts.

Job 3:20-21, Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; [21] Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

                           A.  The tormented will find no relief.

                           B.  Even their unimaginable attempts to end their misery in suicide will be unsuccessful.

                                  1) Every Suicide Attempt will fail.

                                  2) People Will beg to Die

As God's people, we can be thankful that Jesus Christ holds the keys of hell and death (Rev 1:18) and exercises divine authority even over Satan. God has His timetable for all these events, and nothing will happen too soon or too late (2 Thess 2:6; note also Rev 9:15).  The following are helpful guiding principles to hang on to:

God is greater than we can understand.

Job 36:26, Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

One theme in the poetic literature of the Bible is that God is incomprehensible; we cannot know him completely. We can have some knowledge about him, for the Bible is full of details about who God is, how we can know him, and how we can have an eternal relationship with him. But we can never know enough to answer all of life's questions (Eccl 3:11), to predict our own future, or to manipulate God for our own ends. Life always creates more questions than we have answers, and we must constantly go to God for fresh insights into life's dilemmas.

God's sovereignty is completely awe inspiring.

Job 37:23, Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.

Nothing can compare to God. His power and presence are awesome, and when he speaks, we must listen. Too often we presume to speak for God (as did Job's friends), to put words in his mouth, to take him for granted, or to interpret his silence to mean that he is absent or unconcerned. But God cares. He is in control, and he will speak. Be ready to hear his message -- in the Bible, through the Holy Spirit, and through circumstances and relationships.

God's sovereignty is absolute. Elihu stressed God's sovereignty over all of nature as a reminder of his sovereignty over our life. God is in control -- he directs, preserves, and maintains his created order. Although we can't see it, God is divinely governing the moral and political affairs of people as well. By spending time observing the majestic and intricate parts of God's creation, we can be reminded of his power in every aspect of our life.

Almighty God is totally in control always! This warrants our respect and solicits our awe of Him. This truth should also comfort us greatly…especially when life does not make sense. Beloved, even when we do not have the answers we feel we so desperately need it is still our part to trust our situation to God. Trust is the correct response…. In addition, God does and will confront and punish sin; He will not be patient with iniquity forever. It is not our responsibility to make people pay for personal wrongs towards us; God can handle it far better than we can. Finally, Satan only appears to be having his way in this world. Yes, the proliferation of sin and vice is disturbing, and we must do our part to be salt and light in this world. We must vigorous propagate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the unsaved…. Still Satan cannot do anything God does not permit or tolerate. Turbulent times are not occasions to question God's purpose or love, but to trust Him more completely.